A/N: Hi. Here is a new chapter. I hope every one stay safe at home. Also, this one might be good entertainment for you to read it due to the worst timing. So, stay safe and make a good one with your family. I pray for all of us including this fanfiction world for good health, peace, love, and joy.
Chapter 16:
Music: Martina McBride
Song: Concrete Angel
Regina woke up from her dream. She was sweating and turned around to find herself somewhere. Her heartbeat was rapid by a second. Her hand gripped a blanket that covered herself on the bed, and Regina uncovered herself to get up. Her hair was sticking on her face, and the clothes were dirty.
Her thoughts went to Emma. She was worried about her, but her mind goes to Ruby that she was carried away to the haven. Regina finally realized that she was in OZ. The door creaked, and it got her attention to look at someone who came to check on her. It was Ruby.
"Oh, you are up." The brunette woman was surprised. She carried a tray of food and drink. Regina swallowed with a nod. Ruby placed it on the bed before looking up at her.
"You are safe for now. So, here is your food if you get hungry."
"Thanks. Where am I?"
"Of course, in Oz. Your half-sister, Zelena, sent her good friend to take care of us. She has been taking care of everything that we need for our safety."
"Good. But have you heard from Emma?" Regina asked. Ruby shook her head with a sad smile. The brown-haired girl nodded to herself and looked at the tray. It has a cheese sandwich and some fruits, even a cup of water.
"So, I better leave to check on others. Oh, you have extra clothes over there on the desk, and you can take a shower from the next door. No one is around in this hallway except you and mine. If you want to get out of this room, let me know if you want a tour around in this place. I'm glad to do that."
"Thank you, Ruby. I think I am going to eat then take a shower. Maybe I will take your offer later."
"No problem. Reach me toward my door. It's across from yours." Ruby smiled before leaving. Regina sighed and looked over the desk, which was in front of her. The clothes looked a bit of fancy but beautiful. It was the black leather pants, a white long sleeve blouse and a pair of long flat leather boots.
She sat down on the bed and handed a tray over on her lap. Regina felt hungry and went to eat some of it. Her mind went to Emma. She felt sick when it came to her mother, Cora. She wanted to fight against her, but Emma won't let her. In her mind, she knew that she couldn't use her magic; if she did, then it will be doomed for good.
A few hours later, Regina finished taking her shower and changed the clothes. Her old clothes were damaged in mud and holes since she ran away from her hometown to be safe. She walked to Ruby's door and knocked. It opened by the brown-haired woman.
"Hi. Feel better?"
"Yes. I think that I need a tour."
"Sure! Let's go, Regina." Ruby smiled before closing her door. The ladies left the hallway to enter the room where the foyer was. Regina was surprised when the few people were mingling around in the lobby and looked closer at their faces. The people looked like monkeys but humans.
"What are they?"
"They are Zelena's pets. But they are friendly." Ruby grinned and waved at the monkey who was sweeping on the floor. Regina was confused but continued to follow her on their tour. Ruby pointed to another hallway where it was on the opposite side.
The hallway was full of the art gallery. The shapes, colors, and words were mixed in those photos. Regina found them fantastic, and she looked around in the hallway, but her curiosity toward the arts was gaining the ideas. Ruby hummed until they reached the door, which was in the living room.
They entered graciously, and Regina finally connected her eyes toward someone in the chair near the fireplace. Ruby tilted her head to sit down next to them. Regina nodded and went to sit down. She finally found herself to look at someone's face, and it was Dorothy.
"Hello. I'm Dorothy. I bet you are Regina Mills."
"Um, yes. I am. How did you know it was me?"
"Zelena, your sister. That explains your complexions with her, and it is different between you two. But I can tell by your personality. You are an introvert, am I correct?"
"No. I am an extrovert." Regina quipped. Ruby chuckled.
"Ah, my apologies," Dorothy replied with a smile.
"Dorothy is a good friend of Zelena. She takes care of her pets for a while. But, she is a witch like you."
"Half-witch. Half-human. Yadda-Yadda. Who cares?" Dorothy rolled her eyes. Regina gave a small smile and studied on her. Dorothy was like a spirit animal but a sassy woman. She had brown hair, soft hazel eyes, and little lips. Her clothes were in a hippie style. Regina heard a bark from the door. Dorothy smiled.
"Toto, come in." The mentioned name was coming in from the door, and it was a light brown Cairn Terrier. He was prancing toward his owner and jumped up on the small ottoman. Toto sat down. Dorothy petted him and replied.
"It is Toto, my dog."
"He is so cute," Ruby whispered. Regina nodded. Toto woofed while happily wagging his tail. Dorothy chuckled and replied.
"I got some news from Zelena. It seems that way they are having a battle soon. But I am not sure how long it takes."
"I just got a message from Rumple too. He was concerned about the battle shortly. Do you think that they need more assistance from here in OZ?" Ruby asked. Regina tried to ignore the conversation, but her ears kept perking up about the concerns back in the haven. Toto whimpered when she halted petting him.
"Ruby, I had a dream before we arrived here." Regina hesitated to comment on it before looking up at the ladies. Ruby furrowed her brows and quipped.
"What dreams?"
"Oh, ah. I suspect that it is a lover's dream, is it?" Dorothy studied the brunette girl. It surprised Regina by nodding to her question. Dorothy nodded before turning around to get back to her room. Ruby and Regina exchanged the look, but Toto followed his mistress toward the office.
"Let's follow them before we get lost," Ruby spoke before tilting her head to get on it. Regina nodded before walking toward the mentioned room where Dorothy stayed. In her place, Dorothy was searching on the spines of the books on the bookshelves. It looked like a small library beside a window. The bed looked so comfortable, but it was closer to the closet where it was right next to the entrance of the room. It was a homey feeling around in the room. Regina noticed that she felt calm toward the scent of a wax candle on the desk.
"Sit on the bed. I will be in a moment with you. Ruby, do you mind closing the door?"
"Sure." Ruby nodded before closing the door behind her and sitting on the chair behind the desk. Regina did as she was told. Dorothy sighed before turning around to ask some questions. Toto was happily prancing around in his bed then finally got some nap. Regina waited as she held a breath.
"Do you know your consequences of having a lover's dream?" Dorothy asked.
"Yes, Emma, but Ella mostly."
"Rumpelstiltskin's wife?" Dorothy looked up at Ruby for a confirmation. They nodded. She sighed and closed the book. Regina exchanged a look with Ruby for a moment before asking a question.
"Is everything alright?"
"You are bound to Emma's like an imprint. For example, Ruby has an imprint on someone so that they would be bound forever."
"Like soulmates or true's love?" Ruby commented. Dorothy nodded before looking at the brunette girl's eyes.
"Do you know that you are a half-witch?"
"Yes. I am. But not to turn in to be a vampire. Also, my father's werewolf too."
"Hybrid-wolf." Ruby correctly said before nodding on the confirmations on the facts. Dorothy sighed before tilting her head.
"Regina, you are a powerful witch than everyone in the illusionists. I am not messing with you. Technically, you are equal to Emma's power, but your power gives much more than her. Emma is a vampire and half witch. Her parents were muggles."
"Wait a minute. How did Emma get to be a half-witch?" Ruby confused herself. Dorothy smiled at her before explaining. Regina nodded before thinking about the conversations she had with Emma.
"She was not born from her birth parents. She was part of the organization, the shelter of the orphanage or the scientific experiment, and was put in the mother's womb. So, the birth parents had no idea they were paying the price for it. Ask Rumpelstiltskin. He knew all along."
"Damn," Ruby muttered. Regina was out in her zone of thinking on her conversation and dream that merged in the blank space. She was not in her reality and using her energy to dive in her one of those dreams.
Regina finally stood outside of the school gates and looked around herself. The children were scattering from cars, vans, and buses. Her eyes explored in her finding of Emma until it landed on the little girl on the ledge of the stairs behind the school doors. Emma wore a baggy sweatshirt, blue jeans, and a blue hair bow tie. She had a pair of worn-out sneakers. The first verse reached Regina's ears when she whipped her head to hear someone singing beside her, but there was nobody next to her.
She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holdin' back
Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with linen and lace
Regina came into the classroom and found Emma hiding in her hoodie. The bell rung as the second verse belted out by the students in the front row. The teacher was staying in the silence. Regina looked around in the classroom to see the posters of Emma Swan everywhere.
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born
It flashed on Regina's eyes when the spotlight was on her face. She noticed herself on the stage and no one in the auditorium. Regina saw the blonde girl singing solo beside her. Her emerald eyes were in despair but yet sorrowful. The third verse rang into her ears.
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel
The scenes manipulated as the fourth verse came out. Regina leaped backward to get herself grounded and looked around in the bedroom. She realized that she was in Emma's bedroom and tried to find a voice that sang beautifully. But her eyes betrayed on herself when she saw Emma stood in the window during the nighttime.
Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it'll be too later
Regina confronted her, but something caught her eyes. It was her mother standing outside and belted very loudly. The sounds from outside were very loud like a wind blew against a tree. Regina looked up at Emma, but the blonde girl stayed the same and looked mournful.
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel
It hauled Regina away from the bedroom scene toward the graveyard. She fell on the grass and looked up at Emma in her black dress. The blonde girl couldn't be that younger than Regina, but her looks looked in her elder age. The sixth verse came out from the grave digger's mouth, who was watching the scene. Regina confronted Emma but saw only two graves that were buried into the ground. It was Emma's parents. It broke her heart that Emma lost her parents due to the incident.
A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot
Emma bestowed the angel statues. Everything changed for Emma because of the incident. Also, Emma suffered through her age of 18 before turning in a vampire. Regina watched the scene between Emma but saw Rumpelstiltskin appearing in her sight. He looked younger to her but not to Emma. The glamour tricked Regina very well. It was this last time Regina heard the previous verse from the gravedigger.
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel
Rumpelstiltskin gathered Emma in his arms and strolled away from the graves. Regina took a glance at the names of Emma's parents, Elizabeth and Chad. She closed her eyes and didn't realize that she was showing her tears. The brunette girl felt mournful for Emma and went determined for herself.
Regina woke up from her dreams. She hardly breathed but looked around in her room. Ruby looked up at her and smiled. The brunette girl finally connected her thoughts and asked.
"Is it possible if I dig some research on Emma's parents? As you said, they are muggles in the sense of Harry Potter?"
"Sure, I don't have resources for you to find some answers. For the definition of muggles, it is a basic term to call them, and they are not like us. Let me get you some books if you like." Ruby explained
"Yes, please. I think something is different because I saw the graves of Emma's parents. There were the angel statues." Regina replied with a questioning of her thought.
"Wait a minute, you saw it in your dream?"
"I saw them," Regina confirmed. Ruby paled at the thought of the statues and turned around to dive more rooted in the boxes that she brought it from the library of archives. Regina was confused but helped her until they found the thick book that had been collecting the dust from the bottom of the box. Ruby skimmed the pages and searched for the pictures of the statues.
"Is this one like you saw it?" Ruby questioned Regina when she pointed to the picture. The statue of an angel looked down with her hand reaching. It looked darkly but mournful at the same time. Regina took a glance at the photo and nodded.
"This one."
"Oh, shit. They are not muggles." The brunette werewolf mumbled.
"What do you mean by that?" Regina was perplexed by her mumbling.
"I have to tell someone. I mean, Rumpelstiltskin. Oh shit. Regina, this is helpful because you saw it. But I can tell something's going on out there."
"Can I go with you?"
"No. I bestow my promise to Emma because I keep you safe under my paws." Ruby answered with a shake of nod. Regina opened her mouth but shut up by her. The brunette girl sighed deeply with a nod. The brunette werewolf raised her brows and tilted her head to get on their way. Regina followed her along.
A/N: Next Song: I will remember you by Sarah McLanchan.
See ya then.